The invention relates to an anchoring buoy (mooring buoy) for a floating wind turbine, which, moved preinstalled to the future position of the wind turbine and is held at the desired position using a plurality of connecting elements, which are anchored to the ocean floor. This buoy is detachably connected to the floating wind turbine and also contains the energy delivery cable.
In addition to the established wind energy usage on land, offshore turbines are increasingly also being constructed. These turbines are subject to special demands with respect to low maintenance requirements, reliability, turbine size, and environmental influences. Presently, exclusively earth-bound offshore turbines are used, which are fixedly connected by steel pipes to the underlying surface.
Large transportation and construction ships, which are particularly costly to use, are required for the installation of these turbines. In addition, in the case of the earth-bound turbines, the water depth is limited and the ground has to have specific properties.
For some time, however, floating offshore wind turbines have also been increasingly considered, which are connected more or less rigidly to the ocean floor.
These floating turbines, which are connected via chain systems to the ground, do not have the above-mentioned disadvantages and can also be used at greater water depths. The field of use of wind turbines can thus be substantially expanded.
The present, slightly floating wind turbines are usually connected fixed in place to the ocean floor by means of chains. These chains are regularly positioned by means of anchors on the ground. For the installation of the wind turbine at the location, it is moved using tugboats and the chains are then directly fastened to the respective floats.
This is usually performed very swiftly and therefore requires a variety of large ships which have to be coordinated on location. This is not only expensive, but rather also time consuming.
Furthermore, the weather window for such an action is very small, since large wave heights can only be managed with difficulty.
However, a floating body anchored on the ocean floor by means of chains is known from WO 2016/000681 A1, which enables a mechanical fixation of a floating wind turbine with simultaneous electrical coupling to an undersea cable.
However, the problem exists in this case that the wind turbine floating on the water surface has to be connected to the floating body floating on the water surface, wherein this publication leaves it open as to how this connection is to be performed.
The object of the invention is therefore to provide an anchoring for a floating wind turbine which is to be executed safely, rapidly, and easily.